Did the Tiger of Mysore really tame a tiger?

SUNAAD RAGHURAM writes: Sultan Fateh Ali Tipu aka Tipu Sultan, ‘Tiger’ of Mysore, scourge of the British and army strategist extraordinaire, who was finally defeated in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War by the combined forces of Britain and Travancore.

A man who died defending his capital, on May 4, 1799, at a place not too far from the revenue department’s offices in present-day Srirangapatna, where all that remains is a stone plaque that says, “Tipu’s body was found here”, around which grow parthenium plants that seem to match the British forces of yore in their intention to undermine the legitimacy of the man who once lorded over the island capital.

It is said that Tipu Sultan was once hunting in the forest with a French friend. He came face to face with a tiger. His gun did not work, and his dagger fell on the ground as the tiger jumped on him he reached for the dagger, picked it up, and killed the tiger with it.

That earned him the title ‘Tiger of Mysore’.

The point of this essay is to analyse how any man, however courageous, could actually physically fell an animal like the tiger which biologists have scientifically concluded, is among the strongest and the most savage of all land mammals known to humankind.

Or was the story of Tipu Sultan killing a tiger almost barehanded, save for a tiny sabre, a valiant attempt of hagiographers masquerading as historians who had nothing but the sole intention of ingratiating themselves to the king for favours both told and untold?

My own peregrinations in the bowels of the jungles of south India over the years and the innumerable accounts of tigers I’ve heard from biologists and laymen alike have left me with the conclusion that the tiger as an animal is undoubtedly among the strongest, vilest, ruthless, and intimidating of creatures to walk the earth, mind you, when aroused or angered.

Otherwise, of course, I myself have seen tigers walk the game roads inside the jungle with the innocence of a poodle ambling along a track in the neighbourhood park!

An adult tiger, all of over 500 pounds in weight, when angered, is known to deliver a swipe with its forepaws, lighting quick in speed and almost incomprehensibly savage in its execution that has an effect perhaps comparable to a monster crushing machine capable of pulverising rocks.

The ferocity of the swipe when understood in terms of PSI or pounds per square inch should amount to over a whopping 2,000. Simply too very much for Tipu Sultan to have handled, especially while taking on the beast face to face, a beast which would be taller than him while standing on its hind legs!

Assuming that the great Tipu Sultan had encountered a wild tiger in the jungle and had decided to sink a dagger into its chest, he would have been history much before the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, considering that the animal with its almost maniacal brutality would have pounced on him and smashed his face or even his skull with its forepaws with their sabre-like retractable nails, even before his brain could have registered the moment. Such is the force of an angry tiger, say biologists.

When a tiger can routinely kill a guar, an animal that weighs a ton and is built like a Patton tank with muscles that ripple like black granite and pull away the carcass with consummate ease into a thicket to feed, imagine a mere human being’s chances against the striped marauder!

Whoever came up with the idea of painting Tipu Sultan in larger than life colours in relation to the tiger attack surely did not go unrewarded by the king, I’m sure.

“Whoever came up with the idea of painting Tipu Sultan in larger than life colours in relation to the tiger attack surely did not go unrewarded by the king, I’m sure”
Sure is also for the auther of this rewards and glory for coming up with measurement in psi and all psudo science in play. Hope the Education minister of Karnataka will br thrilled and bestow the highest literary and scientific…oh add another award for bravery.

Oh, I never knew he got this title for killing a tiger. Huli bandhiddh tensionnalli gun elli work aaguthey?

If only these kings and rulers had any thought of not killing these wonderful creatures. And how they all killed tigers or elephants ? They would send 1456 sainikas with tamate and kahale, scare those tigers or elephants, hide on one watch tower and shoot the defenseless animals, call themselves heroes, whilst their chelaas would shout slogans…

Stop glorifying Tipu and his valour. He fought the British not for Mysore or in the cause of freedom but to save himself. He imprisoned the legitimate youngruler of Mysore Please do not compare him to young Hoysala. It is a sacrilege. I believe in young Hoysala’s bravery.

As for Tipu as a fighter, let us not forget that Pakistanis had the superior Sabre Jets, but still they lost to brave IAF fighter pilots in tiny gnats!

If you do not belive Tipu Sulatn has killed Tiger, it is fine, no one is forcing you to belive. But stop this pathetic analogy of 600psi power of tiger pounce. where did the auther took the measurement? is the test carried out in mysorte zoo? if not how did he come to conclusion, why not 5500 psi or is the avarage of large no. of pounces , presumlu when the tiger was angry?

I cannot belive how much length people go to take down Graet people, when they could not achive anything in their pathetic existance.

well, the psi stuff is pretty accurate…..had seen a prog on NatGeo where they were measuring the ferocity of animals and maneaters…..and had compared them….
and i guess, myths about great figures were propogated to glorify and exaggerate their acts and persona!! Obviously, it is not meant for psi calculators :)

and where does this muslim,pakis and sabre thing come into pic ? you will find plenty of such stories about hindu kings as well…in fact, search in history and you will find infinite number of such myths associated with legends !!!

And the fact that he harassed his hindu subjects is as accurate as the battle he waged against the british !! No denying that !!!

Ranga, you dont want to divide people on caste line right. What the rubbish are you talking about Pakistan and Missiles. Totally out of contest. You are blinded by hatred man. Tipu (whether he killed a tiger or not) belonged to Karnataka. It looks like you want to call him Tippu Gowda!! Ha..ha..

Maybe you shouldnt read too much into this. All the author was saying is – Tipu probably didnt kill the tiger. So what? Tipu did a lot of things, the important ones are recorded by multiple (and verifiable) sources. They may sound good to some and bad to others. For example the British probably hated his guts in those days and that should make people who look up to him proud!

Even if what you are saying is true – that there is a willful effort to undermine his role in history, it shouldnt matter that much, history is always being rewritten – believe the version that works for you.

Muslims in India and Pakis do not connect.? Did you not know a Muslim doctor in Mysore during Bangla war was arrested being a spy of Pakistan. This person was born and brought up in Mysore but like Pakistan so much!

As for Sabre jets and Tipu you should make the connection when it comes to valour!

Zulfi, I am convinced that Sunaad is as secular as Tipu was. I don’t see any reason why you should suspect his credentials just because he has questioned the legend of Tipu killing a Tiger. His argument is fair enough. You would be diluting the Tipu’s real valour – as displayed in his dogged resistance to British – by insisting that he killed a Tiger.

Dear desi, please do point me where “exactacally” I mentioned that Tipu killed or not killed Tiger? or where did I cast aspiration on his “secular credentials”….. even though its as abused a word as ……….

You accept his arguments as fair ………….and good enough for you rest in peace, but am not able to buy that the said auther has written the artuicle in good faith.

I hope Mr Sunaad Raghuraam, has not become history measuring the piounce of a Tiger, if not let him come out and tell us how he come to conclusion that aTigerts pounce is 2000 psi.

We know when Tiger fell, vultures feed on it , in the sface knowledge that 2500 psi of punce is not there anymore. So stop becoming one and let the departed soul rest in peace,.

Do you what you are? I don’t know what you feed on, you are a full of hatred man….. the example you gave tells a lot about your state.

@aNONYMOUS,

History is written or rewritten by who, conquerers? so the history rewrittnen by Sunaad Rghuram on behalf of the new conqueres? or do you want to imply that rewrtitten history be thought to kids who may not have the previous fact……….as said by education minister of karnataka.

On what basis should you accept the Suinnad raghuram, his psi theory or he went back in time to know the deatials, which we are not aware. How much credence would you give to a guy who has written the article to test the waters for his political masters. he know his masters will soon rule karnataka.

oh c’mon Zulfi, as AS asked can there be no criticism of muslim rulers of yore, without the suspicion of religion angle?

I could ask, with the same credulity that you do that, how come mushirul hassan and irfan habib & gidwani & other impartial historians did not catch the obvious absurdity of this myth?

I could ask, with the same credulity that you do that, how come you expect to get away with making insinuations and comments on aspects hindu without even tolerating the demolition of an inconsequential myth surrounding a muslim ruler.

But I am not asking these questions, just pointing out that, as the saying goes, two can play this game.

Could you please point out what insinuation on “aspect of hindu ” did I make? Why do you make this up……If you are imagining that I am planning to write Untold story of Shivaji or anybody for that matter… rest assured I have better things to do than undermine someones icons.

I vicidly remember a kannada film( forget the film name) in which ashwath tells two ways a person can feels supirior either cut the other person short or make yourself high in every aspect than other person.

Zulfi – aaithu bidi. He was courageous. He killed tigers, leopards and lions just like he did the ursus, brahmins, namboodris, nairs, nayaks or the konkanis. and to do this, he had the meeter.

Tell me one thing – what would have happend if he had defeated the English in 4th War (after securing his position)? Mysore would have been a friend of the French. The French did not come all the way because they loved Tipu, but to be on par with the English. Sooner or later they would have tried to annexe Mysore (and probably all of us would have studied in French medium schools and bloggin in French).

The point I am making is not aaitu bidi or swalpa adjust madi, but would like to know where did Sunaad Raghuraam learned of this? Did he dreamed? did he studied Tigers and come to conclusion, It cannot be possible to kill ltiger? or is he on the path of intellectual inquest? Where are you Sunaad………..?

About your allegations…well do you want me tread that territory? Its enough to say if he wanted that, we would not be discussing this today!

I do not ingest in what you feed on. I am stating facts without exaggeration. Many historians (non -muslims ones who raise the status of Tippu to an unbelievable heights) are of the opinion Tippu fought British by befriending the French not because he was a patriot which he was not ( he imprisoned the young heir to the throne of Mysore, the lawful ruler), but because his existence was threatened. Tippu was killed in the battle and this provided the opportunity for the young ruler to claim his due. The result in course of time was Krishnaraja Wodeyar. Look what this great person achieved in his time for Mysore.

Tipu wrote letter to Afgan Ruler Zaman Shah to come to his rescue !
(Pakistan did not exist at that time, so no connection could be made!)

Tipu and his bravery:

Fact remains his father won both Mysore war ! & II and Tipu lost both Mysore War III & IV.

Tipu became lame fighting Travancoreans and this lameness remained till his death !

He was so brave he had to request Sringeri Shankaracharya to conduct chandi havan and Sahasra Chandi Homa to save himself ( as per sringeri records)

He was so brave he never commanded his army on the fateful day of his fall and never took part in the defense of his fortess. When the war was raging and the British war almost there, Tipu was confabulating with Hindu Astrologers and getting japams at enormous expenditure and was seeing his face in a jar of oil as suggested to avert his misfortune and there on was enjoying his repast. Ultimately when the news of the breach and death of Abdul Ghaffar and others was conveyed, virtuall was fleeing from the scene of war on his favorite Horse till his horse was wounded and he fell among a heap of bodies.

For all the bloggers here casting aspersions on Tipu’s secular credentials just because he was a Muslim ruler, and a powerful one at that, there are no historical records to prove that he was a Hindu-baiter. That he killed Hindus is as much a myth as he killed a Tiger.

But, records are available to prove that he patronized not only the Sringeri Math, but also the Sriranganatha Temple in Srirangapatna.

You have stated: no historical records to prove that he was a Hindu-baiter !

Tipu is no doubt an enigma and but there are more records to condemn him as a Hindu baiter than a select few like the sringeri records. It is more in the nature of ” saMkaTa baMdAga veMkaTaramaNa” and as you can see these records they are written in Kannada but signed in Persian ! May be Purniah wrote it and Tipu just acquiesced.

Had Tipu been a Hindu-baiter, would he have Purnaiah for his Dewan ? If he were to be prejudiced against Hindus even after having Purnaiah as his Dewan, he would scanned the farmans prepared by his Dewan. Apart from giving donations to Sringeri, he even enriched the temples at Nanjangud and Srirangapatna.

Tipu should be seen basically as a product of politics of his era. Hence, the religious conversions he is alleged to have resorted to.

Had Tippu sultan died before coming from Karnataka Paandi state,we(kerala) ppl shud have saved our beloved brethrens Hindus Nairs,Namboodiris and Thiyyas.Bullshit Islam and Jizyah and dhimmi and evangalization.God damn this barabarian Tipu died earlier itself.Thank God,else the whole travancore must had died(Nairs,Syrian Christians are proud) or converted to Islam-the worlds most untolerant religion.along with Jews.

Tiger’s??? vilest??? No wonder, with informed people like you describing the tiger with such an adjective as “Vilest”, we are trying to save the last of these animals left in the wild. A search in the dictionary about what “Vilest” really means, is in order. Otherwise a nice write-up.

Hey guy’s. Le me remind you that Tipu sultan was the only kind to die on a battle field takin 16 bullets on his body.. And fighting until last breath of this life.. You can down to mysore If you want to know weather he really killed a tiger or no.. And mind you like he was the amongst the few king’s who blew British mind’s wit his battle skills.. Atleast he dint kneel down like the marathas, wodeyars and the nizams

Wow you guys are simply superb. it’s not you who’s saying this it is the poison in your veins which is filled
by RSS. Some of you writes that he was the biggest enemy of hindu and thanked the god that he Martyred and our another
chap says that when fourth mysore war was happening he was busy doing Havan, pooja for the good fortune what double standards guys.
if he was so against then may i ask that guy why was he doing the pooja. You spoke about Sringeri ?? did you forget our great Marathas who looted the temple and didn’t even bother to leave a single jewel and then the swamiji wrote a letter to tipu and then tipu replied stating they will repent for their bad deeds and then he sent the jewellery for the temple. we guys need to be really proud that he was the last ruler in the world from India
who dictated terms to British. Atleast there was some one who stood and fought against the british till his last breath. He never accepted to be a slave like our great marathas and nizam accepted. Common guys he fought for his home land and his only aim was to chase the british out of India.
Please guys respect a courageous and a brave man who gave away his life for the sake of freedom. Jai Hind

Apart from debate what you have said. I believe your each & every word. I salute you. The Tipu sultan’s first preference was to oust the British from India. And it is true that the Tipu Sultan was courageous person alone fought with the britishers in 1799 on the other side the britishers with nizams & marathas. The Tipu Sultan was not like a marathas & nizams. The Tipu Sultan a Real Indian. Jai Hind

Dear brothers I agreed that tiger is very powerfull animal and having huge physics,but do guess the power of tipu sultan,his cleverness,his courage he was not like us weak generation.And he was learned fight since his childhood.By these all refrences we can diffinitly say that he had killed a tiger ,,,,surely

jai Hind!!! Tipu we are really sorry for this kind of comments by communal people here against you.It doesn’t matter you killed the toger or no but you fought for the country and did not agree to the terms of british like wodeyars or nizam or Maratha.You were greater then mughals and any other King..He loved his country and people and never ever ever converted anyone for islam.History says record says he built equal number of temples with mosques. And few communal people try to spoil your name.Feel pity..Wish if you were there Britishers would not have stayed long.If he loved his life and kingdom so much, let me tell you he built a throne which was very very beautiful but he never sat on it as he vowed to 1st drive british out then sit on it.He didnt love money or fame he loved his country .And hope ur name is always stays in history books

Hazrath Tippu sultan Shaheed (R.A), was a first freedom fighter of india, he didnot worry about his life and family, he worried about his country, he is the real son of india, who fought agianst the british till his last breath, now his name is famous in all the world “Tiger of Mysore” Tipu Sultan, he is the greatest of all the kings comparing to all the indian kings, he is king of Martyrs (Shaheeds). he was loved by all the religion peoples and he is the real hero of our nation.

Iam against your comments. As i have studied history in my puc i surely tell you that whether tippu sultan fought against britishers to protect himself or his kingdom, indirectly he wanted to throw bitishers from India and i think that if those britishers had gone at that time from india we would have never struggled so hard for Indipendence inIndia….. Nwow tell me what you people are gonna say for this iam not supporting him , as a Indian iam commenting………

@ to all of them……… Tipu was not fighting against Britishers…………He was the first hell man who took the help of France to capture Kerala. He forces million of people in Malabar to convert in Islam and also forcefully feed Beef and innocent peoples. He looted Temples also hanged Nairs teen aged children. He was succed in capture Malabar only because of Gun and Army which was donated by France. So the Tranvancore King have to take help of Britishers. Tipu had defeated Britishers many times but his end was started by Tranvancore Nair battalions. For more details go and check it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipu_Sultan

Also he died as a coward….He was killed by this own guard in Night, He thought thief but it was cleared on next morning it was Tipu the coward.

why argue and waste your time.. now what if Tippu Killed a tiger? and what if he did not? how will you and I gain from it.. why do we argue over silly issues like “hindus” and “muslims”… what will anyone gain out of this hate stuff.. forget it guys.. live happly and without creating worries for yourself.. enjoy life.. how many years wil we all live?? think abt it :-)

The portrayal of Tipu Sultan as a religious bigot is disputed, and some sources, largely left leaning scholars from the 20th century, suggest that he in fact often embraced religious pluralism. Tipu Sultan’s treasurer was Krishna Rao, Shamaiya Iyengar was his Minister of Post and Police, his brother Ranga Iyengar was also an officer and Purnaiya held the very important post of “Mir Asaf.” Moolchand and Sujan Rai were his chief agents at the Mughal court, and his chief “Peshkar,” Suba Rao, was also a Hindu.[40] There is such evidence as grant deeds, and correspondence between his court and temples, and his having donated jewelry and deeded land grants to several temples, which some claim he was compelled to do in order to make alliances with Hindu rulers. Between 1782 and 1799 Tipu Sultan issued 34 “Sanads” (deeds) of endowment to temples in his domain, while also presenting many of them with gifts of silver and gold plate. The Srikanteswara Temple in Nanjangud still possesses a jeweled cup presented by the Sultan.

even to this day if we had the real sons of india.rule our country like tippu who really love his country and his people.our country would had been much better compared to our country at the hands of corrupt shameless politicians.who walk shamelessly in media even after getting caught,because they know only few years of jail for robbing millions of wealth.

the only indian ruler whom British were scared.when English kids bothered engish mums.they used to tell their children to sleep if not tippu will come.when he died at the battle field the british were afraid to go near his body.they just ruined our country by their fox tactics,and made us fight with each other.with their trick of divide and rule.

I think you have not read the complete profile of Hazrat Tipu Sultan Shahid Rahmatullahi Alaihi.. On the day of burial of Hazrat Tipu Sultan Shahid Rahmatullahi Alaihi one of the author Lieutenant Richard Bayly of the British 12th regiment wrote, “I have experienced hurricanes, typhoons, and gales of wind at sea, but never in the whole course of my existence had I seen anything comparable to this desolating visitation”. You dont understand the power of a real muslim.